gholian

I had a problem with my drivers seat where the bolster nearest the door had collapsed and the wire could be seen through. The seats are the PMD type fitted on the 82 Firebird s/e. I striped the seat and rebuilt the bolster with foam and recovered it again. It really improved it but I was still not happy. The bolster I built up is a little lower than the one on the other side of the seat. The support frame must have collapsed some what on the bolster I repaired. I guess this is to be expected as most of the pressure and wear would be on this side.

I hit the junk yards at the weekend to see if there was any seat bottom that resembled my PMD seat but nothing, the seats fitted on European cars are mostly all the same and look really boring. Getting another PMD bottom isn't possible thanks to the Knight rider guys pushing the price of these through the roof. I have seen seats on ebay going ridiculous prices. Even seats you would imagine you couldn't give away for free!.

My next option is to look for somebody out there with a good seat knowledge and ask is there any front seats fitted on the 82 -02 Firebirds and Camaros that would have the same or very similar seat bottom to PMD or any other GM car that would have the same seat bottoms. I have the seat cover and need the foam with good bolsters. The passenger and rear seats are all fine. The bottom of the drivers seat is the only thing that needs attention. Below is a picture of the passenger seat so you can see the shape.

Any help really appreciated.

gholian

No Replys, Nobody knows, but there must be some seat out there somewhere. I saw this picture while I was doing a search. Those bolsters look similar to PMD's. (Hope 1985WS6transam doesn't mind me borrowing this image). What type of seats are these and are they fairly common on Thirdgen Cars. I don't know anything about different seat types on these cars. I have only ever seen one other Firebird up close.

BTS88IROC

I think you will just have to build up the foam and shape it by hand to get it as I don't think you are going to find something out there that will be exact enough to fit the original cover. Also if you have access to one and the foam isn't completely trashed steam it and it will bring it back into shape alot. I was amazed how much the foam expanded on my iroc seats when I steamed them. This is with the covers off by the way so you can see whats going on.

Dizturbed One

Almost all thirdgen seats are similar to those from what I've seen.

mine look to be almost exactly like yours, but a different color.

my car has an RPO code for "european style bucket seats" though so maybe thats why mine look so similar to yours, I haven't really looked around at other thirdgen seats specifically, but I see ones that look exactly like mine alot.

I DO know that any seat from 1982 to 2002 can be switched back and forth to any other car and is a direct bolt in. I don't know if you would have clearance issues going thirdgen seat in a fourth gen car though, because I know that fourthgen seats are slightly slimmer...

I'm just going to put fourth gen seats in mine... They have a slightly nicer fit and finish, and I would like having something a bit newer that I can trust to wear for more years to come.

You might consider just doing a swap, they all bolt right in.

kanuck

You should be able to use the seat bottom from almost any 82-92 F-body. They are almost all the same, except for maybe the high end GTA seats or something like that.

There's got to be some other wrecked thirdgens in Ireland!

gholian

What would I use to steam them?. Can I use a regular iron for ironing clothes with a steam setting on it.


There are only a handfull of thirdgens in Ireland so there are none scraped out.

BTS88IROC

I don't know about the iron thing, that probably wouldn't work. I used an actual steamer, thats all it did, was produce steam, its used in automotive interior work and various things. Some upholstery shops around there might have 1 and they could do it for you. I'm not sure where else you could find one.

gholian

BTS88IROC.... Trying to find a steamer, what do they look like, is it like an electric kittle witha nossle on it. That's all I can seem to find here.

wilyk9

iTrader: (13)

Would one of the portable fabric steamers work? the kind used to remove wrinkles from clothing?

gholian

Yes, hopefully one of those fabric steamers will work. I bought one on Saturday.

wilyk9

iTrader: (13)

Be sure to let us know how it works out for you.

KEVIN G.

I had rebuilt mine about a year ago... Had about the same problem, Wires blown out the side...destroyed the foam and fabric.
I just took them one by one...rebuilt the wires first, re-attatched to the main support, covered all the pointed/broken wires to protect the new foam, re-foamed and recovered w/new repro covers.
There is a trick to the foam, though. Don't just jab the foam in the hole, or wrap it around.... You need to adhere it to the old foam.
Use 3M's super tack, or super 77, with new foam. You actuall REBUILD it. Then you re-shape it with a die grinder. The repair is seamless. You can add and add and add until it fts your needs.
Get the foam from your local carpet installer...not the different color padding, but the more dense/higher quality padding. (Mine was white/spongy and very strong.) It actually improved my overall support of the foam.

gholian

Thanks Kevin G I understand what you are saying. I striped the seat last night and washed the cover, man was it dirty!. I will try and refoam it tomorrow after I get some foam.

Let you know what happens,
Thanks.

KEVIN G.

Here's what my old covers looked like, pretty sad eh...?
Note the side panel blowout & all the thin spots...


[IMG][/IMG]

KEVIN G.

...and now




[IMG][/IMG]

KEVIN G.

...can't even tell...
next comes carpet to match the lt gray



[IMG]<img src="http://uploadyourimages.com/img/2769612005_0719_183248aa.jpg">[/IMG]

gholian

Got the seat rebuilt. I repadded it with new foam to match the other bolster as best I could. I then seamed the rest of the foam and it really tightened it up. It all came out quite well I tought.

gholian

Here is it back together.

KEVIN G.

Looks great